Souper Suppers

It’s time for cozy soup and salad dinners – souper suppers! I posted some summer salad recipes last summer so now it is time for some fall soup recipes. I usually make potato soup, tortilla soup, and pumpkin black bean soup in the fall. Having a family member who is gluten free and dairy free has challenged me to rework a few favorites for when they visit. Surprisingly the potato soup turned out much better than I expected.

Here are two of my favorite soup recipes with gluten free, dairy free suggestions plus a free Thanksgiving printable!

Pumpkin Black Bean Soup

3 – 15-19 ounce cans rinsed and drained black beans

1 – 14 1/2 ounce can drained chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon butter (or oil of your choice)

2 medium chopped onions

3 cloves minced garlic

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 teaspoons cumin (more or less to taste)

4  cups chicken broth

1 – 28 ounce can pumpkin (plain, not pumpkin pie mix!)

In a large pan, heat butter on medium. Add onion, garlic, salt, pepper and cumin; cook 6 minutes or until onion of softened and light brown. Stir in beans and tomato. Add broth and pumpkin; mix well. Simmer 30 minutes.

Yummy with blue corn chips and a green salad on the side! Makes about 12 cups. Can add diced cooked chicken if you want a meat version. Can freeze leftovers. If your family is scared of the title of this soup, call it “Cumin Black Bean Soup” instead. It really is just a richly flavored soup and not a pumpkin flavored soup. 

Potato Soup with Sausage

I don’t have “exact” measurements for this recipe since I make various amounts every time. Use as many potatoes in the cooking pot as you want for a filling soup. You can puree some of the potatoes if you want a thicker soup… or stir in more milk/broth if you want it thinner. 

Ingredients: potatoes, sausage or bacon, carrots, onion, celery, oil, flour, salt, pepper, milk

1. Cook potatoes immersed in large pan of water with or without skins – cubed. I usually throw in a handful or more of diced carrots. Boil for about 15 min or until tender but not mushy! Drain off about ½ the water when cooked. 
2. In separate pan, brown some sausage, bacon, or kielbasa. Remove the sausage. (Skip the meat if you want vegetarian soup.) Sauté diced celery and onions (again, use as much as your family likes but don’t omit it!) in the leftover bacon grease or oil of your choice. I usually do 1 onion and 2 stalks of celery.
3. In another pan, make a medium white sauce with the following recipe.
4. Melt 4 TBSP butter (or coconut oil) on low heat
5. Blend in 4 TBSP flour (or 1 to 1 flour replacement) and some salt and pepper. 
6. Cook over low heat until smooth and bubbly. Stir constantly.
7. Stir in about 1- 2 cups milk (or unsweetened coconut milk) and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
8. After making white sauce, add the sausage, celery and onions to the cooked potatoes. Stir in the white sauce. You can add a bit of milk if the soup is too thick.
9. Simmer on low for about 10 minutes.

Serve with salad or sliced apples for a complete meal. Enjoy leftovers the next day. Typically creamy soups like this do not freeze well.            

Mmmm! I am getting hungry for these already and have added the ingredients to my grocery list! What are your favorite fall soups? List them in the comments. 

And finally, here’s a free Thanksgiving printable to help you remember to give thanks with a grateful heart this season. You will get a pdf to download that’s an 8×10 you can print it on your home printer. I have mine framed in my entryway, but you could easily dress up your fridge, desk, mantle, or table with this free printable.

Table Talk: What is your favorite fall soup? What are some ways you make your home cozy for the autumn season?